Building construction



May 29, 1928.

J. GOVAN ET AL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 3, 1925 Patented May 29, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1, 11,946 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES GOVAN, 0F BIRCHCLIFF, ONTARIO, CANADA, AND HAROLD S. ASHENHURST, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO INSULEX CORPORA- TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUILDING cons'rnuorion.

Application filed March a, 1925. Serial no. 12,91 4.

proof by the use of steel structural elements or partly fire-proof by the use of wood rafters. In either case, the roof is composed of cellular material and is suitably reinforced not onlyfor the purpose of carrying the requisite load but to provide against the collapseofthe roof in the event of an interior fire. Incidentally, the reinforcing elements are so disposed within the body of cellular material that they are. unaffected by an ordinary degree ofheat' beneath the material. I

A further object is the provision of a construction that will avoid the necessity for the use of temporary forms. This results in a material saving in the cost of labor and p materials.

In the construction of the roof of our invention, we utilize the insulating material disclosed in the prior Ashenhurst patent, Reissue No. 15,952 of Noverber 25, 1924, in which is disclosed a material composed mainly of gypsum, together with suitable chemicals that will, in the presence of water, react and evolve a gas, thereby causing the expansion of the mass and finally the setting thereof in a highly cellular condition. lVhile we prefer to utilize a material such'as disclosed the present invention contemplates the use of any insulating material having similar characteristics.

One of the essentials in the use of a material such as disclosed, in order to give requisite strength and fire-proofing, is a suitable reinforcement such as is commonly provided in monolithic walls. To provide such reinforcement we utilize three elements; first, a wire fabric of suitable mesh, adapted to be directly laid on to the rafters or structural elements; second, a fabric cover which may consist of tar paper or similar inexpensive paper having the characteristics of iinperviousness to the plastic material to be poured thereon, and third, reinforcing elements laid onthepaper above the rafters. Preferably the three elements are so constructed that they may each be handled in' rolls and laid out in proper position, the widths being laid side by side to cover the area to be roofed. WVhen the insulating ma terial is poured'in position, the reinforcement' will be imbedded in the body thereof.

The invention will be more readilyunderstood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, p

Fig. 1 is a sectional viewthroughfa roofv constructed in accordance with ourinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken onthe line E2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view, some of the elements being broken away to show the fabric.

In the drawings, the structural elements or rafters are indicated at 10. I On the rafters is first placed a wire fabric 11. Preferably thefabric consists of ordinary one inch mesh chicken wire which has some resiliency. A fabric cover 12 is provided which may consist of tar paper or building aper.

rafters and may be secured thereto at intervals if desired. However, the intention is that they shall be permitted to sag under the weight of the cellular material to be poured thereon in order that the said cellular material may underlie the reinforcement which is indicated in the drawings as composed of so-called wire lath. It consists of the narrow mesh fabric 14, and the channels 15, secured thereto. This reinforcement of the form described or of any other suitable form is laid directly on the top of the impervious paper and need be only lightly secured, if at all, to the rafters. Thereafter the body of cellular material, indicated at 16, is poured in place. This material passes through the openings in the reinforcement and its weight exerted on thepaper and underlying fabric causes the same to sag, as best shown in Fig. 2, and therefore to imbed and fully protect the reinforcement against fire.

If desired, a weatherproof covering 17 is provided. After the pouring of the cellular material andbefore the setting and harden- Both the paper and fabric are laid on the I rapid completion of adjacentsections of a roof.

Where wood rafters are employed, the same efficiency as to insulation will be secured without complete fire-proofing, relative to an interior lire. However, full protection from outsides tires is assured. The method here disclosed provides for economical installation of reinforcing or fireproofing material with reinforcement within the body of the mass, or without the use of forms and the consequent cost in lumber and labor.

A desirable point in the economical installation here described is that the materials used be adapted to be handled in rolls so that they may be laid out on the roof with overlapped edges and temporarily secured thereto in position to receive the plastic material. In Fig. 2, we have illustrated the reinforcing material 14, 15, of a width suflicient to .extend'between two rafters, the channel strips extending transversely. Inasmuch as the strips 15, and the wires coinposing the mesh 14, are all soldered or welded together, the material constitutes a relatively strong and rigid reinforcement which may nevertheless be provided in rolls.

The result sought is that of providing insulating and fire-proofing material beneath the reinforcement by utilizing an impervious flexible material adapted to take the place of a form and which Wlll sag under the weight of the material that passes through the reinforcement. This result may be securedin a number of different ways, and we wish it understood, therefore, that we are not to be limited except as indicated in the appended claim.

Vi e claim:

The method of completing a roof between 3 the supporting beams therefor, which comprises stretching a flexible supportlng net loosely over said supporting beams, applying a 'lexible fabric over said supportingv net in contact therewith, applying over the fabric a comparatively stronger and stifier reticulated member, and then pouring into position on said supporting structure a plastic mass adapted to pass through the openings in said second named reticulated member and to press the more flexible supporting members downwardly between the beamsinto spaced relation with respect to said seer 

